[Consumption coagulopathy and isolated platelet deficiency in childhood septicaemia]

In a retrospective study 40 children were selected out of 53 cases of septicaemia with thrombocytopenia. They were divided into two coincidentally equally large groups of patients with consumption coagulopathy on the one side and patients with isolated thrombocytopenia without consumption coagulopathy on the other side. Both groups were of comparable age and sex distribution. Two-thirds of the children were under three months. For the differential diagnosis of both groups the activated partial thromboplastin time, the thrombotest, the factor V plasma concentration, the serum concentration of fibrin (fibrinogen) degradation products as well as control coagulation studies can be considered to have the greatest diagnostic value. The results of the study permit the following conclusions: 1. Platelet deficiency in sepsis does not prove the presence of consumption coagulopathy. 2. Consumption coagulopathy and isolated thrombocytopenia differ statistically significantly according to the bacteria cultured from the blood, the circulatory state and the pH of the blood. 3. The finding of thrombocytopenia in a patient with shock, acidosis and gramnegative septicaemia justify the suspicion of consumption coagulopathy.